Package-wrapping machine.



J. W. DEARBORN.

PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. l9l4.

I Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

J. W. DEARBORN.

1 PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. 19M.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

7 I l/EN T01? 97544 0114 A HORNE Y J. W. DEARBORN.

PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men MAY 29. 19m.

\ 1,158,186. Patented Oct. 26, 1915 7 SHEETSSHEET 3.

WITNESSES p INVENTOR By M J'. W. DEARBORN.

PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. I914, 1,158,186. Patented Oct. 26', 1915.

7 SHEETSSHEET 4.

, mm ww mv m a a m: E

INVENTOR f BY flow, 1 WAW 0 0 O L, 3L1 i a N: Km Q2 j E a v. M i .fiv

J. W. DEARBORN.

PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, l9l4.

1,158,186. Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

I III k WITNESSES [MI/ENTOR I WP, m. w wj l .I. W. DEARBORN.

PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1914.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

fgq

IAN/EN TOR ATTOR EYS J. W. DEARBORN.

PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. 1914- 1,158,186. Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

r 7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

,b Arm/Mimi a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

JOHN W. DEARBORN, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

PACKAGE-WRAPPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

Application filed May 29, 1914. Serial No. 841,747.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN W. DEARBORN', acitizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county ofHampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Package-Vrapping Machines, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to machines for wrapping packages in paper orother fabric, and its chief object is to improve such machines,particularly in the direction of simplicity of construction andcertainty of operation.

A further object is to make the operation of the paper feeding mechanismdependent upon the supply of packages to the machine.

Heretofore, if for any reason the attendant should cease to supplypackages without stopping the machine, the paper feed would continue todeliver paper to the wrapping mechanism, thereby clogging the latterwith paper which has to be removed, with considerable trouble and lossof time, before the machine can be put to work again. In accordance withmy present invention, whenever there is no package entering themachinethe paper feed ceases to operate and remains out of operationuntil a package is presented to the machine, though in the meantime thewrapping mechanism or parts thereof may continue to operate idly.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features ofconstruction and combinations of elements hereinafter described.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a side view of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is aplan view. Fig. 3 is Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are crosssections on lines 14, 55,and 66, respectively, of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of aportion of the mechanism that carries the packages to the wrappingdevices, showing the element which controls the paper-feeding mechanism.larger scale, of the paper-feed controlling element. Fig. 9 is a detailside view of part Fig. 8 is a detail plan view, on a,

of the paper-feed controlling mechanism. F 1g. 10 is a detail side viewof part of the mechanism for opening and closing the devices which graspand advance the packages in the machine. Fig. 11 is a detail side viewof part of the mechanism which advances and retracts thepackage-grasping devices. Figs. 12, 13, 11 and 15 are detail side views,on a large scale, showing. successive positions of the package-advancingdevices. Figs. 16, 17 and 18 are detail side views, on a large scale,illustrating the endfolding operation.

In the embodiment illustrated, the machine is designed to use paperimpregnated with. wax or other suitable substance capable of fusing at arelatively low temperature, so that the wrapper can be sealed by heatingthe folds, pressing them together, and then allowing them to cool whileunder pressure; but it is to be understood that th invention is notlimited to such use.

The packages to be Wrapped, one of which is shown in dotted lines at 20in Figs. 1 and 3, are carried laterally into the machine between lateralguides 21 by a horizontal belt conveyer 22 running over suitable drumsor pulleys, one of which, shown at 21 in Figs. 1 and 5, serves to drivethe conveyer. This drum is fixed to a horizontal shaft 25 which hasfixed to it at one end a sprocket 26 driven by a chain from a sprocket27 on a shaft 28. gear 29 (Fig. 4) on its other end, meshing with abevel gear 30 fixed on a sleeve 30 (Fig. 9) loose on a transverse shaft31. The sleeve carries and is driven by a sprocket 32 and chain 33 froma sprocket 34 on the main driving shaft 35 extending transversely of themachine. A driving pulley 36 (Figs. 2 and 6) is provided on one end ofthe driving shaft, and on the other end is a hand-wheel 37 by which theshaft can be rotated manually when desired.

From the conveyer 22 the packages are received by a series offeed-rollers 38 hav ing sprockets 39 (Fig. 4) at one end, which aredriven by a chain 40. The innermost roller has two sprockets, one (notshown) for the chain 40, and the other, 41, for the The latter is drivenby a bevel driving, chain 42 running from a sprocket 43 on the shaft 28(Fig. 1). The feed-rollers 38 -,.carry the packages against a verticalstop plate 44 at the inner end of the guides 21.

While the package is in position against the "stop plate 44, asdescribed in the last para graph, the sheet of paper with which thepackage is to be wrapped is fed across the top of the package. Thepaper, designated by 45, is drawn from a roll 45 at the righthand end ofthe machine (as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3), mounted on a mandrel 46,against which bears a friction spring 47 to prevent the roll turningfaster than the paper is drawn off. From the roll 45 the paper passes upto and toward the left between two friction-surfaced transversefeedrollers 48, the lower of which is driven by a gear 49 (Fig. 2)meshing with a gear 50 on a shaft 51 parallel to the feed rollers 48.This shaft is driven by a. sprocket 52 and chain 53 from a sprocket 54on a transverse shaft 31 (Figs. 1 and 4). The shaft 51 has a roller -55under which the paper passes, thence over a guide bar 56, to the upperand lower feed-disks 57, the latter of which are driven by a sprocket 58and chain 59 (Fig. 3) from a sprocket 60 on a transverse shaft 61. Thisshaft is rotated by a gear 62 meshing with a. gear 63' which is itselfrotated by means to be described presently. From the feed disks thepaper 45 passes to the cutting mechanism. This mechanism comprises, inthe present instance, two lower transverse strips of friction materialcarried by a plate 64 (Fig. 3), and two upper strips of similar materialcarried by spring pressed plungers in a vertically movable plate or bar65. Rigidly fixed to the upper bar 65 and between the two upper stripsis a transverse knife 66, the cutting (lower) edge of which is above thesaid strips when the plate is in its upper position. It will thereforebe seen that if the bar 65 is depressed the upper strips will first comedown' upon the paper and hold it stretched under the knife. Then thesprings around the plungers which carry the upper strips will yield, andthe knife will then meet the paper and sever it.

The, up and down movement of the bar 65, described in the lastparagraph, is effected by an arm 67 (Fig. 3) on a rock shaft 68,

which is rocked by an arm 69 connected by a link 70 to an actuatinglever 71 fulcrumed at 72 and oscillated eriodically by a cam 73 (Fig. 4)on the shaft 31. The speed of the feed-rollers 48 and feed-disks 57 issuch that between operations .of the cutting mechanism the strip ofpaper fed forward will be sufficient to extend across the package 20(Fig. 3) and about as far beyond the same as the distance from thecutting mechanism to the package. From the cutting mechanism the paperpasses over a horizontal supporting plate 74 (Fig. 3). Up to a point ustin rear of the package, this plate extending plate 76, between which andthe aforesaid strips the paper is guided downwardly after passing thepackage, as clearly shown in Fig, 3.

The shaft 31, described above as driving the paper-feed rollers 48through the agency of the sprocket 54 and the feed disks or wheels 57through the agency of gears 63 and 62 and sprocket 60, is itself drivenby the sprocket 32, as before stated. This sprocket, however, is notfast on the shaft. Instead, it is loose on the shaft, but it is lockedup with it when the machine is operating by the means now to bedescribed. On theside of the sprocket (Figs. 4 and 9) is a pawl 77,overhanging a one-toothed ratchet or clutch-disk 77 which is pinned tothe shaft, so that so long as the pawl and ratchet are engaged (as inFig. 9) the sprocket will rotate the shaft. Above the circular path ofthe pawl is a shaft 78, on which a bell-crank lever 79 is looselymounted with a roller 80 on the end of its horizontal arm. Manifestly,if this roller is in the path of the tail of the revolving pawl 77, asis the case in Fig. 9, the tail will strike the roller and the pawl willbe thrown out of engagement with the ratchet 77, where-' upon thesprocket 32 and pawl 77 will continue to revolve but leave the ratchet77*, the shaft 31, the paper feed-rollers 48, and paper-feed disks 57stationary. In short, the operation of the devices mentioned dependsupon the position of the bell-crank lever 79. On the other hand, theposition of the bell-crank depends upon the presence in the machine of apackage to be wrapped, and this dependence is produced as follows: Onthe shaft 78 is an arm 81 (Figs. 1 and 4), yieldingly connected with thebell-crank 79 in such manner that the arm can rock the crank unless thelatter encounters a certain resistance, in which case the connectionbetween the two will yield and permit the arm to rock idly. On the endof the arm is a roller bearing on a cam 82 rigidly connected to thesprocket 32 (on the sleeve 30) and hence rotating therewith. The arm istherefore rocked intermittently by the cam and willaccordingly tend torock the bellcrank 79 clockwise (as seen in Figs. 1 and 9) and henceswing the roller 80 up out of the path of the pawl 77,and Wlll ndeed doso if the bell-crank is not positively held,thereby permitting the pawlto remain in engagement with the ratchet or clutch disk 77.

Extending forwardly from the upper arm of the bell-crank 79 is a link 83(Figs. 1, 7, 8, and 9), on the forward end of which is a lever 84, heldyieldingly in the position shown in Fig. 8 by a spring 85. Rememberingthat the link, being connected to the bell-crank, must reciprocate asthe latter rocks, it will be seen that if on the rightward stroke thelever 84 is in the position shown in Fig. 8, the notch 86 will engagethe pin 87 fixedin the opening 88 through which the link and leverproject through the plate 89 into the path of the packages advancing tothe wrapping mechanism. The bellcrank 79 therefore cannot be rockedclockwise (as seen in Figs. 1 and 9) by the cam 82 and arm 81, and thearm therefore swings up idly under the rise of vthe cam. Consequentlythe roller 80 remains in the path of the tail of the pawl 77 and thelatter will accordingly be thrown out of engagement with the clutch-diskor ratchet 77*. This deprives the paper-feeding mechanism of power andit accordingly ceases to operate. On the other hand, if there is apackage being advanced by the rollers 38 against the lever 81 (in thedirection of the arrow in Fig. 8) the lever will be swung to thedotted-line position; with the result that when the link 83 moves towardthe right the notch 86 misses the pin 87, and the link can thereforecontinue its movement in that direction, thus permitting the cam 82 andarm 81 to continue to swing the bell crank 79, with the result that theroller 80 is carried out of the path of the pawl 77. The lattertherefore remains in engagement with the clutch element 77 and thepaper-feeding mechanism continues to operate. It will thus be seen, fromthe foregoing, that the supplying of wrapping paper depends upon thesupplying of packages to be wrapped, with the result that unused papercannot accumulate in the wrapping mechanism, clogging the machine andrequiring cleaning out before the machine can be put to work again.

The gear 63 (Fig. 3), previously described as driving the paper-feeddisks 57 through the agency of the gear 62, sprocket 60 and chain 59, ismounted on a short trans verse shaft 90 in rigid connection with aratchet 91, which is rotated intermittently by a pawl 92 carried by abell-crank lever 93 fulcrumed loosely on the shaft. The lever is rockedclockwise (as seen in Fig. 3) by a link 91 reciprocated by means of aroller 95 mounted on the side of the link and cooperating with a cam 96fixed on the shaft 31, the link being guided in a substantiallyrectilinear path by its forked right end straddling the last-namedshaft. The disks 57 therefore rotate intermittently. Vhile they are idlethe rollers 48, operatirg continuously, form a loop of paper betweenthem and the disks, which is taken up and fed through the cuttingmechanism to the package when the said disksare next set in motion.

Immediately above the position of the innermost package on the conveyingrollers 38, (which position may for convenience be aptly termed thefirst station), is a package gripping device (Figs. 3 and comprising twopairs of depending spring fingers 97, 98. The spacing of the fingerstransversely of the machine is about the same as the length of thepackage, and longitudinally of the machine (that is, from right to leftas seen in Fig. 3) is sufficient to grip the package snugly. \Vhen thepackage is at its innermost position, against the stop plate 11, it isdirectly above an elevator or carrier 99 (see also Fig. 7) normally outof contact with the package, and having openings through which theconveying rollers work. \Vhen a sheet of paper is in position above thepackage, as shown at 15 in Fig. 3, the elevator rises and carries bothpaper and package into the gripper 9 98 as shown in Fig. 12. Initiallythe forward gripper-fingers 97 stand about as indicated in Fig. 1, thatis, tipped slightly forward, to insure that the lower end of the fingerswill not be in the path of the ascending package. 'hen the latter isabout half-way up in the gripper the said fingers are swung down againstthe package as in Fig. 12.

The upward movement of the elevator 99 to lift the paper and packageinto the position shown in Fig. 12 is effected by means of two uprightvertically movable rods 100 (Fig. 3) on the top of which the elevator ismounted and which are connected at the bottom by a link 101 to the endof an arm 102 pivotally mounted at its other end on a transverse shaft103. This arm is rocked at the proper intervals by a forked link 101,straddling the shaft 107 and having a lateral roller 105 extending intothe cam groove of the cam 106 (see also Fig. 6). on a countershaft 107parallel to the main shaft 35 and driven therefrom by means of the gears108, 109. Thus the cam 10G, reciprocating the link 104, rocks the arm102 and raises and lowers the package-elevator 99.

The package 20 and the wrapping paper 45 being at the second station.that is to say, in the gripper 9798 as shown in Fig. 12. the right-handend of the paper is folded under the package as in Fig. 13 by theleftward movement of a bottom-folder 110 in the form of a transverseplate mounted to slide on the horizontal guide-rods 111 which also serveto support the paper-cutting mechanism and the bearings of the paperfeeddisks 57. This leftward movement of the folder, and the subsequentretraction thereof. are effected by upwardly extending arms 112connected to the folder by links 113 (Figs. 1, 2 and 13) and fixed attheir lower ends to a transverse rock-shaft 114. The latter is mountedin bearings 115 depending from the supporting rods 111 and having fixedto it an actuating arm 116 pivotally connected to a reciprocatory link117. The latter is guided in a substantially rectilinear path by itsforked lower end straddling the shaft 31 and is reciprocated by a cam118 (Figs. 3 and 4) on said shaft, the link having a lateral roller 119bearing on the cam. It will be understood that the operative movement(leftward as seen in Fig. 12,) is preferably concurrent with thedownward movement of the elevator 99, beginning just before the lattermovement begins, so as to obviate any possibility of the packageslipping down in the gripper 9798.

The partially wrapped package is now moved leftwardly from its secondstation (Fig. 13) to the third station. In this movement the folding andsupporting plate 120, integral at its right-hand edge with the curvedpaper-guide 76, folds the depending left end of the paper 45 under thepackage 20 and underlapping the previously folded end of the sheet.Moving on toward the third station the package passes over a transverseheating device 121 consisting of a hollow chamber supported by thehorizontal T- irons 122 (Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 14) and connected by a pipe123 to a source of steam or other heating fluid, not shown. This meltsthe wax with which the paper is impregnated so that the overlappingedges will adhere when they cool, after moving out of contact with theheater.

The advance of the package from the second station (Fig. 13) is effectedby the bodily movement of the gripper 9798, which is actuated asfollows: The fingers 97, 98 are carried by and depend from theright-hand ends (see Fig. 2) of two tubular slides 124 mounted on twohorizontal guiderods or supports 125 which are themselves supported bytwo arc-shaped members 126, the slides being rigidly connected togetherby transverse rods 127, Fig. 3. One of these slides is piwoted at itsright-hand end to a link 128, pivotally connected to the upper end of arock arm 129 (see also Figs. 6 and 11) which is loosely mounted at itslower end on the shaft 103 and rigidly connected to a horizontal arm130, also loose on the shaft. The latter arm is pivoted to a forked link131 straddling the cam-shaft 107 and having a lateral roller extendinginto a camgroove in the side of the cam 132 on said shaft.

The partially wrapped package having arrived at about the third station,shown in Fig. 15, the forward fingers 97, fixed at the top to atransverse pivot 133 supported by the slides 124. are swung up forwardlyto the position shown in Fig. 15, and at the same time a pushercomprising a pair of depending fingers 134 (see also Fig. 5) fixed atthe top to a transverse pivot 135 carried by the slides, is swung up inthe opposite or rearward direction, the fingers 134 being spaced closertogether than the fingers 97, so as to pass the latter. These swingingmovements of the two sets of fingers are effected as follows: Fixed tothe pivot 133 is a rearwardly extendin arm 136 (Fig. 3) connected by alink 13 to an arm 138 attached to a transverse rock-shaft 138 mountedabove the pivot 133 on the slides 124. This rock-shaft also has an arm139 connected by a link 140 to a depending arm 141 fixed to the pivot135. Hence if the shaft 138 is rocked clockwise (as seen in Fig. 3) thefingers 97 will be swung up in the same direction and the pusher 134will be swung up in the opposite direction. To rock the shaft 138 it isprovided with an actuating arm 142 (Fig. 2) pivotally connected to thedepending upper end of a suitably curved link 143 (see also Figs. 3 and4 and 6) pivoted at its lower end to the rear end of a laterally curvedhorizontal arm 144 (Figs. 3, 6 and 10) loose on the shaft 103. Fixed tothe arm 144 is a vertical arm 145 having at its upper end a roller 146which a spring 147 urges toward a cam 147 rigidly mounted on the camshaft 107, so

that as the shaft rotates, the link 143 will be reciprocated and theshaft 138 rocked.

The pusher 134 and fingers 97 having been swung up to the positionsshown in Fig. 15, the slides 124 are retracted to their initial positionby the means already described, including the cam 132, Fig. 11. Thegripper 9798 then stands above the package that has in the meantime beenbrought to the first station, on the elevator 99, and the pusher 134 isabove the package left at the third station by the gripper '97-98. Thecam 147 and spring 147 now swing the pusher 134 and the fingers 97 downto initial position, as in Fig. 1, thus bringing the former behind thepackage already at the third station, as in Fig. 3. The elevator 99 nowraises the next package into the gripper, and when the package is abouthalf-way into the gripper the cam 147 permits the spring 147 (Fig. 10)to swing the fingers 97 firmly against the package. The roller 146 isnow out of contact with its cam, and hence the pressure of the fingers97 on the package depends entirely on the tension of the spring 147which can be regulated in any convenientl manner, as by means of thescrew 144 to which the spring is connected. It will be observed thatwhen the fingers 97 are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the pushers 134and 162 are also in the positions shown in Fig. 1, but that theadditional movement of the link 143 to swing the fingers 97 against thepackage has no appreciable effect on fingers 131 and 162 for the reasonthat in said additional movement the arm 139 (Fig.

3) swings across the axis of the link 110.

In other words. the arm 139 and link 110 are practically in line, sothat the additional movement of the former produces no materiallongitudinal movement of the link. 'hen the parts mentioned are in thepositions shown in Fig. 3 they are exactly in line, and hence anypressure exerted on the pushers 131 and 162 and tending to swing thesame will not be communicated to fingers 97 but will simply be resistedby the shaft 138. The package having been pushed clear up into thegripper. one end of the sheet of paper is tucked under it by the folder110. whereupon the cam 132 again advances the slides 121. that is, movesthem leftwardly as seen in Fig. 3, in which movement the pusher 131carries to the fourth station the package left at the third by thegripper and to the third station the package just pushed into thegripper by the elevator. Between the third and fourth stations are theend tuckers, circular in form and comprising two upper end-tuckers 11S,and two lower designated by119, Figs. 1, 3, and 6, which are oscillatedabout transverse axes. The tuckers being in the positions shown in Fig.3 they swing down and up respectively as the package comes under them,whereby tucking in the upper and lower end-portions of the wrappingpaper, as in Fig. 16. As the package moves on, the upper tuckerscontinue their clockwise movement, swing away from the package. and thelower their counterclockwise movement, and the blades or end-folders150. 151. connected with and following the tuckers. come into operation,folding the rear-sides of the wrapper-ends over as in Fig. 17.

The end-tuckers and folders, described in the preceding paragraph. arepivoted to two standards 152. fixed to the T-irons 122 at the sides ofthe path of the package along the supporting plate 120. Outside of thestandards the folders and tuckers are connected to actuating gears 153,151, Fig. 1, the lower gears meshing with gears The latter, and theupper gears 153, mesh with vertical racks 156 so that as the racksreciprocate the folders and tuckers will be oscillated in oppositedirections. The racks are actuated by levers 15? (Figs. 1 and 6)connected at their rear ends to the racks by means of links 158 andfulcrumed on their forward ends at 159, on the standards which supportthe forward arc-shaped member 126. Between their ends the levers carrylateral rollers extending into cam-grooves in the cams 160 on thecam-shaft 107. Passing the end-tuckers and folders the package comesbetween the stationary end-heaters 161, Figs. 2 and 3, which fold backthe remaining (front) portions of the wrapper as the package enters thespace between the heaters thereby completing the end folds, as in Fig.18. At the same time the heaters melt the wax of the wrapper and pressthe folds into close contact with each other. At the forward orleft-hand end of the slides 121 is a forward pusher 162. of the sametype as the rear pusher 131 and fixed to a transverse shaft 163connected by an arm 161 and link 165 to the arm 111 which, it will beremembered, swings the rear pusher 131 up and down.

The package having been advanced to the fourth station, between the endheaters 161, the slides 121 come to rest and the cam 117 (Figs. 6 and10) and associated parts swing the front grippenfingers 97 and pusher131 up, as previously described. At the same time the forward or secondpusher 162 is swung up (and toward the rear) by its connection with thearm 111. The cam 132 (Figs. 6 and 11) now retracts the slides 121 toinitial position, with the raised forward pusher over the package justleft at the fourth station. At this stage of the operation there is apackage at three of the four stations, as will be readily understood;the first package being at the fourth station with its wrappercompletely folded and its endfolds being heated and pressed, the secondpackage at the third station, and the third at the first station. on theelevator 99 below the gripper 979S. The cam 11? now swings the fingers97 down in front of the empty second station. and the pushers 131. 162down behind the packages at the third and fourth stations, whereupon theelevator raises into the gripper the package on the elevator. partiallywrapping the package as previously described. The cam 132 and. arm 129then advance slides 121. in which movement the forward pusher 162 movesthe first package out from between the end heaters 161, and in betweenthe cooling plates 166 (Figs. 1 and 2) which chill the melted wax of theend folds and cause the latter to adhere to each other. Moving onbetween the cooling plates 166' the package meets the conveyer 167(driven in any convenient manner, not shown) which carries it out of themachine. The pushers 162. 131, and the gripper-fingers 97 are now swungup and the slides 121 retracted to initial position after which the saidpushers and fingers are swung down to-operative position. thuscompleting the cycle. The succeeding operation is then simply arepetition of the cycle already described.

It should be stated that the timing of the machine is such that thelever 81 (Figs. 7 and 8) is always in the path of the packages exceptwhen the elevator 99 is in its lower position. so that packages cannotbe carried into the path of the elevator while the latter is ascending,descending, or is in its upper position. The lever 84 having been withdrawn from the path of the packages by the arm 83, the package which hadbeen bearing against the lever is carried on to the elevator, and aftersuch package has passed the path of the lever the latter is moved backinto the path of the packages and in front of the next succeedingpackage.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theconstruction herein specifically described, but is capable of embodimentin other forms without departure from its spirit.

I claim:

1. In a wrapping machine, in combination, an elevator adapted to receivethe package to be wrapped and defining the first station thereof, adownwardly open gripper above the elevator and defining the secondstation of the package, paper-feeding mechanism to insert a sheet ofwrapping paper between the package on the elevator and the gripper,means to raise the elevator and carry the package and paper into thegriper with the bottom portions of the paper depending below thegripper, a folder movable under the package in the gripper to fold onedepending portion of the paper under the package, means for shifting thegripper horizontally to a third station, and later retract the gripper,a device in the path of the package between the second and thirdstations to fold the remaining depending portion of the paper under thepackage, mechanism to open the gripper and release the package afterarrival thereof at the third station, means for advancing the packagebeyond the third station, and mechanism for forming the end-folds of thewrapper.

2. In a wrapping machine, in combination, an elevator adapted to receivethe package to be wrapped and defining the first station thereof, ahorizontally movable downwardly open gripper above the elevator anddefining a second station, paper-feeding devices for inserting a sheetof paper between the gripper and the package on the elevator, means toraise the elevator and carry the package and paper into the gripper,whereby the paper is folded down over the front and rear of the packageand its bottom portions left depending below the package, a foldermovable under the package to fold one of said depending portions, meansto advance the gripper to a third station and retract the same to thesecond station, means to fold the remaining depending portion of thepaper, mechanism to open the gripper and release the package while atthe third station and to close the gripper after its retraction to thesecond station, a pusher connected with the gripper in advance thereof 0move horizontally in unison therewith, and movable into and out of thepath of the package, means enabling the gripper opening and closingmechanism to move the pusher out of the path of the package as thegripper opens and into the path as the gripper closes whereby on thesucceeding advance of the gripper the pusher will advance the packagefrom the third station, and means to produce the end-folds of the paper.

3. In a wrapping machine, in combination, a package-gripper having anopen side to receive a package to be wrapped, a package-carrier adjacentto the gripper and movable from an initial position toward the open sideof the gripper to move the package into the latter, means to feed asheet of paper across the open side of the gripper while the carrier isin its initial position, a pusher in advance of the gripper, means toadvance and retract the gripper and the pusher in unison, and mechanismto withdraw the pusher from the path of the package and release thegripper from the package while the pusher and gripper are advanced andto restore the gripper and pusher to initial position when the two areretracted.

4. In a wrapping machine, in combination, a package-advancing grippercomprising a member to engage the rear of the package and a pivotedmember to engage the front of the package, a pivoted packagepusher infront of the gripper, means to advance and retract the gripper andpusher, and mechanism to swing pivoted member and the pusher out of thepath of the package before retraction and into the path of the packageafter retraction of the pusher and gripper.

5. In a wrapping machine, in combination, a package-advancing gripperhaving a pivoted member to engage the front of the package and adaptedto swing out of the path of advance of the packages, a plurality ofpackage-pushers one in front of the others in advance of the gripper andeach consisting of a pivoted member adapted to swing out of and into thepath of ad vance of the packages, means to advance and retract thegripper and the pushers, and mechanism to swing all said pivoted membersout of the path of the packages before retraction and into the said pathafter retraction of the gripper and pushers.

6. In a wrapping machine, in combination, a plurality ofpackage-advancing devices spaced one in front of the other and eachcomprising a member pivoted to swing into and out of the path of thepackage, means to advance and retract said members, and mechanism toswing the members out of the path of the packages before retraction andinto the said path after retraction.

7. In a Wrapping machine, a sliding element, a package-advancing gripperconnected to said element and having a member adapted to engage thefront of the package, a package-pusher connected with the slide inadvance of the pusher and movable into and out of the path of thepackage, means to advance and retract the sliding element, and means tomove the said member and the pusher into and out of the path of thepackage.

S. In a wrapping machine, in combination. a downwardly open packagegripper, a package-elevator below the gripper to lift a package into thesame, means for feeding a sheet of paper between the gripper and apackage on the elevator, a package-supporting plate extending in advanceof the gripper, a package-pusher in front of the gripper, means toadvance and retract the gripper and the pusher, mechanism to move thepusher into and out of the path of the packages on the supporting-plate,mechanism for releasing the gripper from the package, and means foractuating said mechanisms.

9. In a wrapping machine, in combination, a horizontal plate to supporta plurality of spaced packages one in front of the other, a supportingguide above and parallel to the plate, a slide movable longitudinally onthe guide, a package-gripper carried by the slide at the rear thereofand having a front member pivoted to swing into and out of the path ofthe packages on the plate, a paclmge-pusher carried by the slide infront of the gripper and comprising a member pivoted to swing into andout of said path, connecting means'between said pivoted members wherebythe two are caused to swingsimultaneously but in opposite directions,means to swing said members, and means to advance and retract the slide.

10. In a wrapping machine, in combination, a paclmge-gripper having adepending front member pi"oted at the top to swing upwardly andforwardly, a package-pusher in advance of the gripper and pivoted toswing upwardly and rearwardly, means to advance and retract the gripperand the pusher, an arm connected with the piv'oted member of the gripperto swing the same, a link connecting said arm with the pusher to swingthe latter, and means to actuate the said arm in one direction beforeand in the opposite direction after the gripper and the pusher areretracted.

11. In a wrapping machine, in combination. an elevator adapted toreceive a pack age and lift the same from a lower to an upper position;means for conveying packages to the elevator: mechanism for feeding asheet of paper between the said upper and lower positions; apackage-gripper arranged to receive the package from the elevator andsimultaneously fold the paper over the package; a bottom-folder adaptedto operate under the package while the same is in the gripper; anactuating shaft; devices connecting the paper-feeding means and thebottom-folder with the shaft for actuation thereby; means for drivingthe shaft; and controlling mechanism for the driving means, dependentfor operation upon the movement of a package on the conveying means to apredetermined point in the path of the packages to the elevator, andmechanism for driving the aforesaid elevator and conveying meansindependently of said actuating shaft and said controlling means.

12. In a wrapping machine, in combination, an elevator adapted toreceive a package and lift the same from a lower to an upper position;means for feeding a sheet of paper between the said upper and lowerpositions; a packagegripper arranged to receive the package from theelevator and simultaneously fold the paper over the package; a bottomfolder adapted to operate under the package while the same is in thegripper; means for conveying packages to the elevator; an actuatingelement common to the paper-feeding mechanism and the bottom folder;means for driving said actuating element, dependent for operation uponmovement of a package on the conveying means past a predetermined pointin the path of the packages to the elevator, and mechanism for drivingthe conveying means and the elevator independently of the said actuatingelement and its driving means.

13. In a wrapping machine, in combination, means for conveying to afirst station the packages to be wrapped; a device to receive thepackages at the first station and carry the same to a second station;means for feeding a sheet of paper between the two stations; means atthe second station to receive the package and fold the paper over thesame; a folder to operate on the paper at the second station: anactuating element connected with the aforesaid paper-feeding means andfolder, to actuate the same; a constantly moving driving memberconstantly connected with said conveying means and said device; andmeans for connecting the driving member to said actuating element anddependent for operation upon the conveyance of the packages past apredetermined point by the conveying means.

14. In a wrapping machine, in combination, means for conveying to afirst station the packages to be wrapped; means for feeding a sheet of.paper across and above the first station; means to carry the packagefrom the first to a second station; movable folding means adjacent tothe second station: means for moving the package to a position beyondthe said second station; folding devices beyond the second station tocomplete the folding operation; an actuating element common to theaforesaid paperfeeding means and movable folding means; means forcontinuously driving the abovementioned conveying means, carrying means,moving means, and folding devices; and mechanism, connected with thedriving means, to drive the actuating element and dependent foroperation upon the convey.- ance of the packages past a predeterminedpoint by the conveying means.

15. In a wrapping machine, the combination with means for conveying intothe machine packages to be wrapped, devices for conveying the packagesthrough the machine, wrapper-folding devices, means'for continuouslydriving the said conveying means, conveying devices and folding devices;of means for feeding wrappers into position for folding over thepackages to be wrapped; and mechanism connected with the wrapper-feedingmeans to actuate the same, dependent for operation upon the conveyanceof packages into the machine by the aforesaid conveying means andcapable of stoppage independently of said conveying means and devicesand said folding devices.

16. In a wrapping machine, the combination with package feeding andwrapperfolding mechanisms, and means for continuously driving saidmechanisms; of paperfeeding means to. feed the wrapping paper into themachine; driving mechanism for driving the paper-feeding means inharmony with the first-named mechanism and capable of stoppageindependently of the latter, and devices for maintaining the saiddriving mechanism in operation and dependent upon the continuous supplyof packages into the machine.

17. In a wrapping machine, the combination of means to receive thepackages to be wrapped, mechanism for feeding a sheet of paper intoposition for folding over a package supported by the receiving means,driving mechanism for the paper-feeding mechanism dependent foroperation upon the continued supply of packages to the said receivingmeans, package-moving devices to move the packages through the machinefrom the receiving means, folding devices operating at the path of thepackages beyond the receiving means, and driving mechanism to actuatethe said package-moving devices and folding devices independently of thefirst-named driving mechanism.

18. In a wrapping machine, in combination, conveying means for carryinginto the machine the packages, to be wrapped, folding means to fold asheet of paper over a package carried into the machine by the conveyingmeans, means for feeding a sheet of paper into folding position, drivingmec anism for the paper-feeding means, controlling means for saidmechanism, having a controlling element movable into and out of the pathof the packages carried by said conveying means, whereby the engagementof said element by a package will set the paper-feeding means inoperation, devices to complete the folding operation; and means to drivethe latter continuously and independently of the said feeding means.

19. In a wrapping machine, the combination with wrapping mechanismincluding folding devices, and means for delivering packages thereto, ofmeans for supplying paper to the wrapping mechanism, means in the pathof the packages to control the operation of the paper-feeding means, andmechanism to drive a plurality of the folding devices independently ofthe last-named means.

20. In a wrapping machine, the combination of wrapping mechanism; meansfor delivering packages thereto; means for feeding paper into positionfor wrapping about the packages; mechanism to control the operation ofthe paper-feeding means, said mechanism including an element movable inthe path of the packages to the wrapping mechanism longitudinally of thepath and movable laterally into and out of the path; and means formoving said element into and out of said path.

21. In a package-wrapping machine providing a path for the packages, thecombination of paper-feeding mechanism, a member movable into and out ofthe path of the packages and having a portion shiftable from an intitialposition by the packages advancing in said path, means to arrest thesaid member in the outward movement thereof when the shiftable portionis in said initial position; and driving means for the paper-feedingmechanism, dependent for operation upon outward movement of said memberbeyond said arresting means.

22. In a wrapping machine providing a path for the packages to bewrapped, the combination with wrapping mechanism, including foldingdevices, and continuously operating means for actuating said foldingdevices; of means for supplying paper to the Wrapping mechanism; meansconnected with but disconnectible from said actuating means, for drivingthe paper-supplying means; and devices actuated by packages moving inthe aforesaid path to maintain I rest the said member when the lever isnot rocked, and means for driving the paperfeeding mechanism, dependentfor operation upon outward movement of the controlling member beyondsaid stop.

24. In a package-wrapping machine providing a path for the packages, thecombination with paper-feeding mechanism; of a controlling membermovable into and out of the path of the packages, and shiftable inanother direction by packages advancing in said path; a stop arranged toarrest the member in its outward movement unless said member is shiftedin said other direction; a shaft connected with the paper-feedingmechanism to actuate the same; a clutch element fixed on said shaft; apower-driven device revolving about the clutch element and movable intoand out of engagement therewith; an element normally in the path of therevolving device to move the latter out of engagement with the clutchelement; and means actuated by outward movement of said controllingmember to move the lastnamed element out of the path of the revolvingdevice.

25. In a package-wrapping machine, providing a path for the packages,the combination with paper-feeding mechanism; of a controlling membermovable into and out of the path of the packages and shiftable inanother direction by packages advancing in said path; means to arrestthe member in its outward movement unless the member is shifted in saidother direction; a shaft connected with the paper-feeding mechanism toactuate the same; a clutch element fixed on said shaft; a power-drivenelement co-axial with the shaft and rotatable independently thereof; apawl carried by the power-driven element and movable into and out ofengagement with the clutch element; an element normally in the path ofthe pawl to move the same out of engagement with the clutch element; alink connecting the lastnamed element and the aforesaid controllingelement; a member yieldingly connected with the link to reciprocate thesame; and a cam actuated by said shaft and cooperating with said arm toactuate the same.

26. In a wrapping machine providing a path for the packages to bewrapped, the combination of means for supplying packages to the machine,means for feeding paper into the path of the packages, means in the pathof the packages for receiving the latter singly and simultaneouslyfolding the paper about the same, means for taking the packages singlyfrom the receiving means and moving them through a remaining portion oftheir path with the paper projecting laterally beyond said path,oscillatory fold-,

ing devices at opposite sides of said path to fold upon the packages theprojecting ends of the paper, continuously operating driving mechanismin constant connection with all the aforesaid means and devices save thepaper, feeding means, mechanism for actuating the paper feeding means,normally connected with said driving mechanism but disconnectibletherefrom, a device normally in position to disconnect said actuatingmechanism from the driving mechanism, means for shifting said device outof said position and a device arranged in the path of the packagesentering the machine and normally in a position to prevent the operationof said shifting means but movable by the moving packages to aninoperative position.

27. In a wrapping machine, providing a path for the packages to bewrapped, the combination of devices for folding paper about the packagessingly and carrying them through said path, with the ends of the paperprojecting laterally from said path, oscillatory tuckers and folders atthe sides of the path to operate on the ends of the paper, reciprocatorymembers connected with the tuckers and folders to actuate the same, amain driving shaft, means driven by the latter to reciprocate the saidmembers, means for feeding paper into the path of packages entering themachine, a second shaft, means for driving the second shaft from thesaid main shaft, devices connected with the paper-feeding means toactuate the same and automatically connectible with said second shaftfor actuation thereby, and means in the path of packages entering themachine, normally preventing, but shiftable by the moving packagesentering the machine to permit, the automatic connection of said deviceswith the second shaft.

28. In a wrapping machine, the combination of means for advancing apartially wrapped article with the end-portions of the wrapperprojecting laterally beyond the path of the article; upper and lowerendtuckers arranged at the sides of the path of the article and pivotedto oscillate in opposite directions; upper and lower end-folderstangential to and carried by the end-tuckers; means for swinging theupper tuckers and folders downwardly and the lower tuckers and foldersupwardly as the article passes the tuckers and folders, whereby theupper and lower portions of the projecting ends of the wrapper aretucked in upon the ends of the article and the rear portions of the endsof the wrapper are folded forwardly upon the tucked-in portions; andmeans at the sides of the path of the article, beyond the tuckers andfolders, to fold the front portions of the projecting ends of thewrapper rearwardly upon the folded rear portions.

29. In a wrapping machine, the combination of means for advancing apartially Wrapped article with the end-portions of the wrapperprojecting laterally from the path 1 of the article; upper and lowerend-tuckers of circular form arranged at the sides of the path of thearticle and pivoted eccentrically to oscillate in opposite directions;upper and lower end-folding blades tangential to and carried by theend-tuckers and operating after the end-tuckers have op erated on theprojecting end-portions of the wrapper; and means for actuating theendtuckers and. folders as the advancing article 10 reaches the same. 0

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. DEARBORN.

Witnesses:

GRACE T. MCGLYNN, ROBERT S. FoLsoM.

